


Fate's Crossroads

by eccorando



Category: Night In The Woods (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24070930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eccorando/pseuds/eccorando
Summary: Somewhere, the shadows still lurk in the unknown. Somewhere, the heart still beats; leading the flow of fate. Somewhere are those affected by years of hurt or uncertainty. Somewhere, paths will cross, coming together at the final end.Update note on Chpt 3
Relationships: Lori Meyers & Jeremy "Germ" Warton, Mae Borowski & Bea Santello, Mae Borowski & Lori Meyers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. The Calm

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this brewing in the back of my mind for a while but it's still a really rough idea and I do not know if I'll follow through with this.
> 
> That being said, I would really like some thoughts on this; help decide if this is worthwhile or not. I already have some things in mind but I wouldn’t mind some more opinions.
> 
> -EcR-

_Lilly - Hey, just finished school. U free tonight? - Sent_ | _15:53_

_Lilly - I was thinking we could hang around town if you want - Sent_ | _15:53_

_Lilly - Go to the cafe by 5th - Sent | 15:54_

_Lilly - Before you go - Sent_ | _15:54_

_Lilly - You there? - Sent_ | _18:01_

_Joel - Sorry I didn't get back to you. I was finishing up on hand-to-hand. They did not go easy on me. Shoulder hurts like a hell. - Sent_ | 5 _:32_

_Lilly - U okay? - Sent_ | 6:05

_Joel - Yeah, just a little beat. Nothing a bit of aspirin and sleep can’t fix. - Sent_ | 6:05

_Lilly - Har Har - Sent_ | 6:05

_Joel - Did u still wanna hang out? - Sent_ | 6:06

_Lilly - U sure ur free? It’s pretty early. I can come over. - Sent | 6:06_

_Joel - I finish AIT on Saturday, would that be okay? - Sent | 6:06_

_Lilly - Sure. lets say six, yeah?- Sent | 6:06_

_Joel - Alright. - Sent | 6:06_

_  
Joel - Can I ask a favor? - Sent | 6:08_

_Lilly - Shoot - Sent | 6:08_

_Joel - Do you think u could drive me to Possum Springs? If it isn’t too much trouble? - Sent | 6:08_

_  
Lilly - Wait, really? You dead serious?- Sent | 6:08_

_Joel - Yup. - Sent | 6:08_

_Lilly - Are you mental? With everything that's going on there?_ Why? _\- Sent | 6:08_

_Joel - I got 10 day leave to see my family before reporting to my regiment so... - Sent_ | 6:08

_Lilly - Oh - Sent_ | _6:08_

_Lilly - Yea, sorry, course I can. - Sent_ | _6:08_

_Lilly - Don't know if my license can get me in Pennsylvania - Sent_ | _6:08_

_Lilly - But ah well. What are friends for - Sent_ | _6:08_

_Joel - Driving me through the national guard apparently. Ah well indeed. - Sent_ | _6:09_

_Lilly - Geez... - Sent | 6:10_

_Joel - Hey, - Sent_ | _6:10_

_Joel - U think she still remembers? What happened? - Sent_ | _6:12_


	2. Before The Storm

Joel didn't like how frighteningly eerie autumn made everything seem.

The way the fog tended to slowly roll over the hills, only for it's flow to be pierced by the trees and all the different milky streams intertwine around each other. It's like the fog was carrying something. Something sinister. Nothing moves that slowly without purpose.

There were even rumours that when the howls of the wind were were so strong that they could be heard echoing from the hills, it was the sound of ill fate beckoning. Seemed like the town folklore was intentionally made to make everything about this town creepy.

The only comforting thing was the gentle glow of the evening sun floating above the mist as it fell beneath the earth.

Noises began to fly straight into the wolf's ears as he turned the corner. Clanks of abandoned halloween decorations filled the small alleyway. He was silent. Feet splashing the puddles while he trudged, dragging along a smaller figure, bearing similar resemblance. Making it halfway, Joel made the decision that they were safe and allowed both to rest.

"What happened?" No response. Just a few heart-wrenching whimpers.

"Anna?" Joel lowered himself, trying to find a way to get through to her. "Are you okay?" After a brief pause, she found the courage to face her brother yet not enough to utter a word. She nodded her head, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. There was an obvious tear on her sleeve. Joel pointed them out with a subtle gesture of his gaze, "Does it hurt?" She nodded again, "Bad?" She took her time ... but ultimately shook her head this time. Joel carefully brought his paws onto her arm, rolling up the sleeves, "I'm just gonna take a look, 'kay?" She sniffled, then nodded once more.

Brushing past the fur, it was clear that a freshly made bruise was beginning to form, the vile greenish colour starting to seep out. "I told you to stay away from them." Regret was all he put into his words. He rolled it down, thanking God she sustained no other trauma. Physically at least. She whispered to herself, "I just wanted to get some water..."

Joel didn't answer. He only waited for her quivering lips to speak what was on her mind, "I ... I just wanted water." Her face was loosing any vibrancy of life. One single moment and it was all sucked from her.

Joel knew the feeling. Betrayal and abandonment. When you know how uncared for you are.

Taking the hit on more than one occasion. It was tough. But he'd gladly do it again if it meant his twin sister didn't have to suffer for it. "He didn't mean to. They're unhappy, Anna. People just do dumb shit without realising." His voice was as soft as he could make it.

She whipped her head up with a confused yet angered face, "How can he not know?"

Joel sighed as his gut twisted, "Emotions are a bitch of a thing. Some can control them better than others."

Anna scoffed. It was a mix between vexation and lightheartedness. It was nice to see her still smiling to some degree. "Like you?"

Joel jokingly shrugged, anything to lighten their moods. Although her direct referencing to the few minor scuffles he had with ... _both_ his parents actually did ruffle his temper. It was still palpable how much both of them were hurting; nothing was changing that tonight, "Well, do as I say and not as I do." 

A mediocre breeze blew past them, flinging some paper pumpkins past their feet, landing in the thin puddles.

She wiped her eyes again, "So what now?"

Joel stood up, gaining his bearings, quietly mumbling to himself and pointing his paw, moving them around and visualising it in his mind. "D'you think Lori's sister will let us crash at her place?"

Anna's eyes wandered, trying to figure out who he was talking about, "... Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think so." She set off without him. It was like she was on autopilot. Drifting in and out of her awareness. It only made his chest pain more.

It was all just screwed up. The one time he wasn't there ready was the time it actually happened. He should've know it was bound to happen. All it took was one time. God he just wanted to hit himself. He remembered the shouting. How it constantly banged throughout the house. He'd try to drown it out with a pillow, but to no relief. Just another typical night, really. Then he heard her scream. And a roaring fire in him was triggered. An unbridled fury he'd never truly felt before. Everything happened way too quickly. Before he knew it, he was flying out his door, shoving, pushing, throwing fists and what not. The feeling he got; like his head was about to explode. He only could remember feeling so **_angry_** **.** And then he was out the door, running paw-in-paw with Anna racing down the street leaving the fading shouts of defiance from his father.

He still didn't blame them entirely though. He couldn't bring himself to do so. What right did he have? He didn't know what it was like to hate someone you love. Despite the numerous altercations, they were only getting caught in the cross-fire. Divorce was on the horizon. It would be best for everyone when it does happen. Something that deteriorated doesn't get salvaged. It seemed cynical and sad even, but if Joel couldn't feel the love between them, how could they?

He quickly rubbed his paw across his eye, getting rid of the single tear managing to escape. Raising his head to rejoin Anna, the wolf noticed something.

...

"Anna?"

...

She wasn't there.

The wolf ran forward, charging towards the end of the alley, sharply turning the corners: Left then right. No sign of her. Just a bunch of buildings and lamp posts. "Anna!?" He stood on the spot, trying to think and not let himself go just yet, "You there?" No answer other than the menacing howl ringing from the hills.

His ears bent back, catching out the sound of a bottle being knocked over. He spun on his heels, scanning the alley as his pupils darted across his eyes, noticing a dumpster and some puddles. He locked onto a single diversion: a small strip to the side of the alley. He bolted for it, fear rushing throughout his body. There was no way she would leave without him, not in this state. 

Trying to dig his heels into the concrete to pivot only forced him to slip on the wet surface as he struggled back onto his feet and latching onto the corner of the wall to pass it, "Ann-" 

His vision flashed into black as he was sent stumbling to the floor; a prominent throbbing emitting from his freshly pounded temples and the taste of rotted iron ran rampant in his mouth. Once he realised what had just happened, his vision returned only to see this hooded thing clear a fence with a painfully conspicuous body slumped over their back.

"You son of a bitch! Give her back!" He got up, racing for the fence, using all his might to climb it, perplexed with how fast this hooded bastard was. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" The hooded figure looked back, his face hidden by some sort of hard-hat. "Stop!" The wolf's face degraded to begging, "Stop! Please!" Yet, not only a few steps up and Joel had lost sight. "Shit!"

His mind was being crushed under the sheer confusion and helplessness. He was panicking. He froze. His heart was thumping. He didn't know what to do, "No! No, No!" His mouth was agape in disbelief. The longer he was on that fence, the more distance was being created. He knew that. He knew very well what was happening. He just couldn't believe it.

His foot gave out. He yelped as he tightened his grip, but to no avail. His paw was separating from the wiring, digit by digit. "No," His sobs grew more desperate, "No!" Only one digit and - **_slip_**

He was hurtling towards the ground; the walls to either side of him growing taller and further away from him. They continued to grow and grow, blurring past him with the air wooshing past him, getting louder and louder until! 

_**THUD**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what y'all thinking 'bout this?


	3. A Sight For Sore Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I should probably say the already established cannon characters belong to the established owners. I don't own shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just need to keep reiterating, this is a very very very very rough draft.
> 
> My character, Joel is in the military. I don't know everything about how joining the military works so I'll probably get some things wrong. If this offends anyone with proper knowledge of this, I apologise for inaccuracies.
> 
> AIT = Advanced Individual Training
> 
> Update 11/10/2020
> 
> Well Jesus, it's been a while. I've finally come back to this after thinking about what I wanted from this. I've gone back and touched up a bit of character work; how I want them to be portrayed, if I'm staying truer to characters already established, like Lori and I'm feel like I'm almost ready to start the new chapter.
> 
> Sorry for being absent for so long
> 
> -EcR-

His eyes peeled open, light instant to assault them.

He was rudely welcomed back into the world he was currently in. He found himself melted into a car seat and beside him, out the window, the green landscape passively rolled past him alongside a few other cars.

"Nightmares again?" He turned to face the origin of the voice, rubbing his sunken and fatigued face as he lifted himself up, "Yeah..."

The car's subtle shaking accompanied with the whirring of tires squishing asphalt filled the small space, "God, I feel terrible."

"Feel like talking about it?" The deer asked, not afraid to hide any concern she had.

Joel reached round to scratch the back of his neck before looking up and pressing his paws into his temples, an exhausted and a poorly hidden pained expression on his face, "Oh, I'm fine, Lils. It's no big deal." Lily produced a sad smile, knowing fully well he was lying. But also knowing Joel, the best thing to do was not blow tiny things too much out of proportion. "I've got some painkillers somewhere if you need them."

"..."

"I know your head's hurting."

He took a deep sigh, "Where?"

Lily handed him her bag, placing it on his lap, "Thanks."

He popped a small bottle open, taking and laying a single pill in his mouth, swallowing it dry and without effort.

"We're almost there, by the way. Is the plan to actually stay at the house? Cause I don’t know how I feel about intruding in your mom’s home. I don't wanna cause any trouble."

The wolf realised again he was slowly falling down the seat, "Don’t worry about that. Mom's got this guest bedroom you can stay in. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to leave anyways. God knows I need you there if there _is_ trouble." Lily nodded, keeping her eyes on the road zooming behind her, like a roll of film. A quick peek at the mirror showed the contented smile plastered on her face. Joel, however, was still shuffling uncomfortably in his seat, trying various positions to relieve the feeling of his stomach on the verge of throwing up, "I'm so fucking nervous, man. Couldn't it have been easier for her to come to New York?"

"You think she'd bother with all the road blocks about?"

The grey wolf remained silent, knowing she definitely wouldn't have bothered.

The red deer chirped up again, "Heh, reminds me, the guards stopped me on the road and you were snoring so bloody loudly. They probably thought I'd drugged you." 

Joel snickered a bit, but ultimately couldn't stop himself from crawling back to his previous thoughts. It had been so long since he'd been to that damn town. Just seeing the most novice in of things, like trees, everywhere and not the assuring confines of the urban walls of Manhattan was unnerving. He hadn't thought about home or ... _her_ ever since. Everything about that place he despised. He wanted nothing to do with it. But even as the rural scenery whizzed past him, the little ball of melancholic nostalgia was setting deep in his body. Released out of AIT and what’s the first task he's to overcome? Seeing his mother again. In Possum Springs. Great. He knew the day was coming. These nightmares began stirring in his head as he neared the end of his course, only getting more and more anxiously vivid.

"I don't know if I can do this. I'm doing worse than usual." Lily glanced over with intrigue, still listening as she refocused on driving, "I can't shake the feeling she doesn't want to see me."

"What makes you say that? She wouldn't have asked then."

The wolf opened his mouth to talk but halted any words, causing him to croak. He didn't want to say but it wasn't rocket science: They blamed him. Both mom and dad. His father seems to have been able to move on, but ... He could literally feel the grudge radiating from his mom, whether it's on the phone or when she visits him every half a year or more. It was soul crushing. Four years, she made sure to constantly silently remind him that it was indeed and utterly his fault. Without fail. Although his heart ached thinking about it, he knew it was anything but. It wasn't his fault the ran out the house in the first place. He knew that. Or did he? Any other truth, to her, was incorrect. A 'fact' she's obviously stood by for years. That kind of incessant conditioning would make you believe any lie.

Joel idly stared out the window again, "The thing is, she didn't ask. I have to settle my finances, and she opened them when I applied. She's the only family I've got left; I barely see my Dad anymore... I honestly think she hates me."

The deer brought an arm out to pat his back, "C'mon, let’s have a little optimism, Joel. Head up, man. You're doing okay."

Joel envied how happy-go-lucky she was all the time. How people could be that positive all the time; Joel was sure it must've been tiring to keep up. Guess it would've been different if she'd gone through what he had. Still, ever since he moved to New York that optimism and non-stop joy is probably what kept him going and hoping. He knew he was really lucky to have a friend like her.

"Y'know, I've never been this far out of town. Kinda reminds me of home."

Joel rolled his head over the headrest, "I can see why you’d think that." Whenever she comes back from the UK, or even talks about it, it's embarrassingly palpable how her default accent intensifies. Accents were a weird thing. How could people naturally pronounce the same words so differently? Joel guessed it was cool. Typically, for him, the worst the accents sounds, the better. More opportunity for banter.

She grinned thinking of home as she peered out the edges of the windshield appreciating all the similarities she could distinguish, "Course, not everywhere in England looks like this."

The wolf scratched an eyebrow, "Where'd you grow up again? I keep forgetting these England places. Mansfield? Chestfield? Ha, Field? There’s a lot of fields."

"Sheffield, you dork, and I wouldn't exactly call it 'grew up'. I might as well say I'm from New York." She had imitated the accent on New York, something Joel would not stand for, "Eugh, don't ever say 'New York' like that again. You're English, accept it."

Banter continued, so did their journey. The car veered off the side of the highway down an exit with the sign saying _Allegheny National Forrest._ The grey wolf had recognised that sign. As they passed it, he swinged his neck back around trying to find where he had put the graffiti all those years ago, only to find it had been cleaned. He swivelled back again, becoming one with the seat and the anticlimactic feeling of dissatisfaction.

"You've never told me much about Possum Springs. Was it nice?" Lilly enquired, her typical curious tone pouring out of her.

Joel, upon the sudden invasion of memories, curled up onto himself, merging deeper into the seat, "..."

The red deer bit her lip, "Too much?"

He took a deep breath, stretching his lungs as they recoiled to release the tension built up within, "... No. No, it's okay ... I shouldn't avoid it... Well, I remember it as a shithole. Wasn't anything too special. Days included waking up, going to school, come home, play in the woods or something or being a degenerate. Kids doing dumb things was pretty normal. We'd usually break into abandoned buildings, steal shit, spray paint and what not. It was how we mostly spent our time, really."

" 'We' as in ...?"

Another long breath taken in and out, "Yeah... Her. But I didn't really play with the other kids. I'd sorta just hang around and stay quiet. And it's not like I don't like being around other people. I just get really nervous when I have to talk to people." He brought his paw up to his chest, fidgeting with his dog tags, "Besides they wouldn't have included me in that kinda stuff anyways. My parents rather I'd stay home or it was something I couldn’t afford."

He hated that word 'home'. Like he knew what that was. He'll try to convince himself with some cliche bullshit that the force is his home now, but it still doesn't take away the fact that the feeling of belonging was something he's never truly had. 'Disowned' from Possum Springs and made an outcast in New York.

"You're not nervous in the army though, right?"

"Oh, no, no. I feel way more comfortable there, y'know? Like before my social life just didn't exist, but I feel like I'm getting things I was supposed to get when I was younger."

Lilly sat there idly, taking everything he was saying in. She could listen to his deep voice all day. Everything about this wolf compelled her to know everything about him. He was always so repressed, rarely will she see him express himself to the fullest. He'll laugh his cute laugh and joke around, get angry, but never to the fullest. Always having that sad lonely look in his eye. The most alive she ever saw him was after he enlisted when she was in sophomore year. She could see his elated face, the little bounces in his steps. He seemed so proud. It was undeniably cute. But slightly worrying at the same time, "Are you looking forward to deploying?"

Joel leaned back, lifting his head up in thought, "I wouldn't say looking ... well, I guess," He brought his paws up to his midsection, waving them around deep in though, "... Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." 

She tightened her grip on the wheel, shaking her head. She couldn't ever fathom what it must be like fighting out there, "Isn't it scary though? I mean, God, how'd you look forward to something like that?" 

"It doesn't necessarily mean I deploy straight into the fight. I haven't checked the deployment rotor, but I'm pretty sure my regiment is stationed right now."

She cocked her head to the side, "So, your not proper fighting then?" He shook his head.

"So I'll definitely get to see you again?" Her voice was unsure and peppered with a tad of sadness.

Joel's face fell as he reached out for the deer's hoof taking them in his large paw, "Hey, of course I'll see you again. I'm not going anywhere forever. Doesn't matter where I go, I'll come back. I promise."

Out beyond the corner of the wolf’s vision, he saw lines of canopies and trucked all organised in formations he could recognise. The few various arms riflemen were positioned between the actual road blocks themselves. Joel saw the colour drain from the deer’s face. "Let me handle this."

"You sure Joel?"

"Yeah, I think I can handle it."

The car slowly pulled into the checkpoint, screeching to a halt whilst the window slid into the door. An armed soldier, meandered up to the car, the usual M4 held against his body and a digit laying across the trigger guard; standard form is to be appreciated whenever it can be. He caught a flash of the magazines. The one stuck on the rifle: Rubber bullets; non lethal. Some with live rounds were strapped to his vest.

"Identification," He inquired. They had definitely ramped up security. He knew there were stops but this looked like they were entering a damn war zone.

Joel produced two cards, one from his wallet and the other passed on from the deer. The hand over across the empty space in the door was completed and they were scanned for any discrepancies.

"What's your business here?" Another nonchalant question in the line of their assigned interrogation.

"Visiting family,"

"Her?" He pointed at the person occupying the driver's seat.

Lilly leaned up over the grey wolf, "I'm a friend."

The guard nodded, handing back the two cards, "Were gonna have to perform a search of your vehicle,"

As the guard veered away he caught a glimpse of the two tags hanging from the wolf's neck, "Nice tags, brother." Giving him a salute, Joel gave one back, smiling as he did as he bounced his head up and down, understanding his order. He looked around at other cars in adjacent checkpoints, noticing they were all being checked as well.

"Don't you ever wonder?" Lilly began talking out of the blue, she probably wanted to pass some time or ease her nerves. She wasn’t the type who'd stay silent during stressful situations.

"Wonder what?"

"I find it funny. You can join the military at seventeen but you need to be twenty-one to own a gun. I mean, that guy seems young and he's waving that thing round like nobody gives a shit."

"Well, not really. The main thing is that a civilian is owning a gun at twenty-one, whilst someone in the army at seventeen is being professionally trained to operate one. And people usually see the military as a way out if academics isn't their thing." He grinned and gestured at himself sarcastically, "Like me!"

"You're not that dumb, Joel." It was working. The tension on her face was slowly disappearing. 

"Hey! I didn’t say I was dumb."

"But you implied it."

"Ha ha."

Silence enveloped the stale space of the car again. Only the subtle shake of the engine could be heard.

The longer the wolf sat there, the more he wondered if all this was actually necessary. He knew the rioting and protests were getting bad, but searching cars and shit for, he assumed, stopping any potential resources for ... what was it even? A militia? No. So far he heard it was just a few scuffles between mine workers and their employers. Guess some things don't ever change. Even if Possum Springs was fairly right wing, incentives from the left wing was too good for struggling middle class workers to pass up on. 

Still, it couldn't be that bad. To suggest there was a dangerous group collecting arms in _Possum Springs_ with the intent of using them was down right ridiculous. It would be way worse than the massacre all those years ago and the stigma that left behind surely hadn't been forgotten.

Joel caught the only other occupant of the car in his vision again, "Hey Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"I really appreciate that your here with me. The past few weeks have been really stressful and this has been a really nice break. I don't think many people get to say that they've got someone like you and I wish-" He stopped himself mid-ramble as he tried to collect himself, " And there's no way I can think of where I can repay you or give back to you. So thanks."

"C'mon Joel, you know I've always got your back. I'm really happy you've finally found what you wanna do so if you wanna repay me? Keep going for me, 'kay?"

The wolf felt his face involuntarily contract; he knew a tiny grin was on his face, "I think I can manage that."

"Move on through," Joel whipped his head round, not realising the guard was right out beside the door waving his paws allowing them to pass. The wolf raised his paw, signalling his thanks as Lilly began moving the car once more.

"Contact!"

"Get down!"

The sudden rise in conundrum and duress compelled the curiosity of both occupants of the car as they bent their necks backwards. "Don't move! I said don't move!" Two soldiers were apprehending someone, forcing them on the ground with more coming in extracting multiple boxes clearly containing munition. Every addition of another uniformed person was another instrument to the barking symphony of various forms of communication, only adding to the sudden onset of chaos. The scene shrank as distance increased and the dots of green uniforms swarming around this one car became more like a bunch of ants. 

The two shared a brief look in each other eyes, both pairs screaming: What the fuck just happened?

"Jesus, uh, Keep going, uuh, take a ... take a left here." Joel was quick to instruct the deer slapping her shoulder with the back of his paw to get her attention. The red deer, on the other hand, was steadily loosing her cool, "My days, did you see that?! What the hell was that?!" 

"God, what the hell is wrong with this town?"

Lily abandoning her focus on the road, turned to face Joel dead on, face to face, "I told you coming here might've been a bad idea."

"I'm starting to think you were right." Lily still had her view totally poised on the wolf and the car was still moving at a steady speed down the suburban street. 

"I'm not imagining things, right? I just saw the fuckin' national guard arrest someone in the middle of nowhere- Oh shit!" 

**_THUMP_ **

"Jesus!"

The red deer pirouetted her body to face the front of the car, the unnerving sound of flesh hitting metal. Undoing both seatbelts, the two scrambled out the car seeing a rather small mouse sprawled on the road, fortunately getting up without many problems, "Oh my god! Everything's going so wrong." She told herself. "Are you okay? Geez, fuck me, I'm so sorry." Lily was straight into helping her up, dusting her off as well as fixing her red hoodie. 

"Ow, God, watch where you're going. You can't just go around running over secondary characters like that." The mouse strained, feeling out her legs and hips.

"What?"

The mouse gently shrugged off the help of Lily. The grey wolf passed the hood of the car, coming up behind the mouse, “Are you not hurt?”

"I'll live, I think. My leg hurts a bit but I’ll be-"

She cut herself off, leaning her neck forward and squinting her eyes in scrutiny.

“...”

Her mouth was moving, no doubt whispering the thoughts of her mind.

"Speak again?" She asked.

"Uuuh? Hi?"

"Joel?"

He took a step back, “How do you know me?”

She pointed, pure awe on her face, "So it is you! Jesus-tap dancing-Christ, when did your voice get so fucking deep?" She limped towards him, like she couldn't give a fuck about the fact that she just got hit by a car, "How've you been? Where've you been? What you been up to? One day you just disappeared, like that, the next your right here with a really fucking deep voice." She clicked her digits together, "It's so good to see you again!" She latched herself right into his midsection, grunting as the air was forced out of him. His arms were held up, his mind running blank after an overflow of stimulation. Joel looked beyond the mouse's shoulder to an unimpressed Lily crossing her arms. Joel gave a nervous laugh.

She let go, "Wha- What are you doing here?"

He blinked once then twice, "Um. I, uh, don't really remember you." He flashed a glance at Lilly, who's arms still remained crossed.

"Oh, that's right. I forget we weren't the closest. I'm Lori."

The cogs turned in his brain, "Lori Meyers?"

"That's the one. I was friends with Anna, remember?" The air became filled with gloom as the wolf responded, "Right! ..... right..."

Lori gasped, shoving her paws up to cover her mouth, "Oh my god, I shouldn't have mentioned her. I'm so sorry." The wolf's eyes lit up. He may have forgotten a bit about her, but he remembered enough to know what was happening now, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, don't freak out." But she was already there huffing and puffing, her chest heaving up and down, like a balloon with a hole being pumped.

However, totally _unlike_ her, there was a straining effort of calm and serenity coming from the mouse. And just as quickly as he panic began, it ceased to exist entirely. Joel stood there, a proud yet confused expression was all he could give her, "Where'd you learn to do that?"

She shrugged, "Do what?"

"That! You were always so skitty all the time." Joel chuckled a bit.

"Heh, well, it's actually kinda a funny story."

"Enlighten me," Lilly was still bouncing her eyes and attention off the two. Arms still crossed.

"You remember that crazy kid, back when we were in middle school?" Joel cupped his chin in thought, sieving through what he could barely remember about the town, before sharply pointing his paw in revelation, "Killer? Geez, how old must she be now? Twenty-two, twenty-three? Why? She's not still out there?"

She started furiously waving her paws, "No, no, no, no, no, no, you're getting it all wrong. Like, maybe around ... a year or so after you left I was just minding my business, sitting by that statue I like and I recognised her. We started talking and whatnot and the day after, she came back. And she was actually a very normal person. I got the sense that maybe a few screws were loose, but who doesn't? We hanged out and we became friends and she kinda taught me how to calm down. She's a really good person. You believe that? I became friends with Killer?"

He bobbed his head, absorbing the information, "Is she still around?"

"Oh yeah. You think anybody can leave this place?... Well, besides you." She gave him a playful push and a coy smile. She brought one of her feet onto her toes, wrapping it round the front of her other leg.

"I guess so." The ground began shaking. Turning his head revealed a military-type truck transporting people. He couldn't get a good glimpse into it, "Christ..."

"Yup, you said it. They're getting really antsy."

"D'you know what's up?"

"Not a clue. I only know that they're here for a reason and that said 'reason' is about to explode."

"Jesus."

The red deer forced herself into the middle of them interloping in their little reunion, "Well, I think Joel and I should get going now. Lovely to meet you ..." 

"Lori-"

"Lori! Now, do you know where I might find the residence of Emily and Eddie Harrison-Becker."

The mouse's ears folded back upon hearing the strange nature of her voice, "Accent?"

"I'm from Sheffield."

"Pennsylvania?"

"England."

"Oh cool. I've always wanted to go. There's so many gloomy places to film horror movies, y'know."

Lilly squinted her eyes, "Uh huh, right, anyways, Emily and Eddie Harrison-Becker please."

Lori moved around using her paw to mimic the car as she imagined it on the road, "So you're gonna go left and I think it the fourth house on Maple."

The red deer patted her head, "Cheers, Lori." She quickly transitioned herself straight into the car, slamming the door with a thump. The grey wolf was standing there timidly. Thumbs twiddling and ears twitching, "I should be getting a move on. It was good to see you again." The mouse happily swayed from side to side, "You too," Joel waved his hand as he rounded his way around the car, "Hey wait." Joel stopped himself from opening the car, "Yeah?"

"Can I keep in touch with you?"

He smiled warmly, "Oh, umm." The tiny wheel responsible for his nervousness turned slowly in his head, "Uh, yeah, um. Sure thing. Swing by my place whenever, 'kay."

"You wouldn't mind if I brought some friends along right?"

Any chance Joel could get to say goodbye to anyone he could barely remember or actually know and get some closure from this town, the better, "No, I don't mind. I guess, it would be nice to see who you've deemed worthy of friendship in this town."

They both waved each other off, the car now travelling down the road and veering off to the left. Still plonked right in the middle of the road, she whipped her phone out, going under the name _Germ Warfare_ in contacts: _Hey Germ. You'll never guess who just came back to town_


End file.
